How to raise your kids to be entrepreneurs

Growing up I always knew that I wanted to work for myself. I saw what my mom had to go through working to build someone else dream and I hated that for her. She used to sew and would do weddings and that is when she was the happiest. It came with challenges but she was happier doing her own thing. My first business was selling the keychains you know the ones with the plastic back in the late 90s, then I started helping kids with their papers because I was actually good in English (don’t worry about how I write over here lol). In my yearbook for my Senior thoughts, it says in 10 years I will be… CEO of my own company. It took a min to get there but I’m here. Now I’m raising a little mini-me. I want to talk about how to raise your kids to be entrepreneurs and some ideas they can do right now to make some money.

How to raise your kids to be entrepreneurs

First, ask them what it means to be one. Listen to their answer. My kids are 13 and 10 so they know a little about what I do and I ask them to explain to me what I do and what the word entrepreneur means. My son said it means that I’m the boss and my daughter said I get to do what I want when I want without having to answer someone. My son said…same thing I said…and then a fight broke out *sigh*

After they explain what it means to be own a business you have to then ask them if it’s something they may want to do. Look not everyone is cut out to be a boss. Someone has to work and that’s ok. Don’t let society make you feel like you have to own your own business because it’s not easy. My kids see that I am up most nights until 2 am working on my business. I also explain to them that owning a business and having a job are two different things. There is no steady paycheck and the benefits suck.

My son said he wanted to own his own T-shirt company. I told him to come up with a name and a business plan and present it to me and I will invest if it makes sense. He first asked if he could bring his friends in and while I think it’s nice I said no. Do something on your own and if you want to hire them later you can but for now brainstorm ideas that you can do and the concept you want laid out.

Be a coach. They need you to be a mom but they also need to know what to do from an expert. If you don’t own your own business or no nothing about owning one put them in contact with someone who can be a mentor to them.

Here are some more tips

• Get them in front of crowds so that they can learn to speak and put a presentation together
• Encourage them to solve a problem with a product or service. The best businesses do just that. What problems are lacking and what can you do to solve them. It can be as simple as starting a kids tutoring service where kids tutor kids
• Teach them about money. This is huge! They need to be able to break down everything as they do on Shark Tank
• Let them start off as a hobby to make sure it’s something they love before you put all of your money into it
• Invest in them which is more than just money. Invest your time and help them start their business

Now, what kind of businesses can kids get into at a young age that’s easy and cost-effective? Here are a few

1. Photography – Since I’m a photographer this is easy for my kids. I already have a older camera that they use and I have them practice with me when I work in my business.
2. Lawn business – Not just any lawn business though. Get your kids doing landscapping also. Everyone can mow a lawn but not everyone offers landscape to go with it
3. Start a youtube or a blog – My daughter wants to do a craft blog. I told her I may let her do that!
4. Tutoring – I mentioned this earlier but kids sometimes learn better from kids than adults so let your kids be a tutor to their friends and make some coins on the side
5. Own a T-shirt company – This is really easy and you can use printful as a middle man to get your shirts out. All you have to do is come up with cute slogan that fits your child.

Those are just a few but it’s better to show you than to tell you so here are some fab kids businesses that I have had the pleasure of purchasing from.

Ollie’s Fizzies a great bath time business that’s just for kids

Try taking your lemonade stand to this kind of level!

T-Shirt company that solves a problem when kids bully.

Her candy apples are the bomb!

His cookies are so good.

What are some other ideas that you may have that kids can do?